Press statement: African Civil Society Joins in Al-Bashir International Warrant Hearing

Press statement: African Civil Society Joins in Al-Bashir International Warrant Hearing

11 February 2016 

African civil society organisations will participate in the Supreme Court of Appeal’s hearing of the Al-Bashir International Criminal Court warrant hearing this Friday 12 February 2016 in Bloemfontein.  

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) is representing two organisations, the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) and the International Refugee Rights Initiative (IRRI), who will make submissions during the hearing regarding the rights of victims of international crimes to effective remedies in international law.  

Both organisations work directly with victims of atrocities taking place in Sudan.  They have documented attacks against civilians and crimes committed against populations in various parts of Sudan.  They have taken up international advocacy on behalf of survivors and victims of such atrocities who have no legal recourse within their own country to end the attacks against them.  

The appeal stems from a judgment in June 2015 in which the High Court in Pretoria stated that President Al-Bashir should have been arrested under a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court to face trial for crimes committed in Sudan.  The state has argued that international law immunities protected Al-Bashir from arrest.  

ACJPS and IRRI will bring their experience to the Supreme Court of Appeal hearing and will make submissions regarding the lack of recourse and remedies available within the Sudanese legal system.  They will argue that international criminal justice and cooperation by all states with the ICC are necessary to ensure that those responsible for the worst international crimes are held accountable and that African victims of crime have the right to be heard.  

The hearing will take place in Court A at the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein this Friday 12 February 2016. 

 

 For interviews contact Wayne Ncube, LHR Strategic Litigation Programme: 011 339 1960 or 071 850 3434